Va. Dept. of Agriculture warns against planting unsolicited seeds received in the mail

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issued a warning Friday urging residents in the state to not plant seeds from unsolicited packages as they could be invasive plant species that “wreak havoc on the environment.”

Several Virginia residents have informed the department that they have received packages in the mail containing seeds that appear to have come from China. In an email, the department states that the type of seeds in the packages are unknown and “may be invasive plant species.”

The packages could have Chinese writing on them, according to the department.

“Invasive species wreak havoc on the environment, displace or destroy native plants and insects and severely damage crops,” VDACS wrote in the email. “Taking steps to prevent their introduction is the most effective method of reducing both the risk of invasive species infestations and the cost to control and mitigate those infestations.”